Hi everyone, Well, I get laid off Friday. Luckily, I have set up an AOL account and will have BIG reroute the FML to it (probably on Thursday or Friday, BIG...I'll contact you). If there's anyone in the Huntsville, Alabama area who would like to get together to discuss FML stuff, I'd really appreciate it. Um, there have been so many discussions about Cushing's Disease that I can't remember everything that has been said. I read something on rec.pets that I'd like to share. If it's correct, fine. If not, maybe someone can e-mail this person, or post to rec.pets. The original poster said something about their ferret losing a lot of hair when a new ferret was introduced to the household. This was the response: "It sounds like this MIGHT be 'Cushing's Disease', which is a problem of the adrenal glands. Ferrets are prone to adrenal tumors, especially females, but it usually doesn't show up until after 5 years old. The classic sign is complete hair loss over the body, with the limbs being spared this loss for a time. Check this out with your vet. Also tell him/her that ACTH levels aren't predictable in the ferret, and the best way to diagnose Cushing's is ultrasound (this person needs to be experienced, preferrably with ferrets). Tell him/her to check out _Biology and Medicine of the Ferret_ by Dr. Fox (can't remember the first name). This is a veterinary textbook on ferrets." The person who posted this is Chris Bern of the North Carolina State Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine. My question about this dealt with the ultrasound reference. I didn't know that this could be done. Can it?? I thought that the adrenal had to be removed and *then* checked. I apologize if I'm off base and if Chris Bern is a member of the FML. I'm not trying to flame anyone....I'm just a little confused and am wondering if I should go back and re-read my old FML's to see how much information I missed. Chris' email address is: [log in to unmask] -Thanks, Mark Zmyewski Systems Analyst (Only until Friday. If anyone in the Huntsville, Alabama area wants to hire a fellow ferret owner... :-) ) Optimization Technology, Inc. Huntsville, Alabama [Posted in FML issue 1326]